MACON, Ga. — Georgia is getting closer to opening applications for a program that would allow parents to get state money to help pay for their children's private schooling.
Families who apply for the Georgia Promise Scholarship starting early next year can get up to $6,500 per year for private school tuition, home-schooling supplies or early college courses for high school students.
Families on the edge of affording private school might be able to reconsider.
"It's going to level the playing field and give parents choices,” Jeanelle Webb said. “I think parents need choices as to where they would like their children to attend school."
The Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 233 to start private education vouchers earlier this year to give families in low-performing school districts more choices. The state is creating the online application for families now and it will open soon for the 2025-26 academic year.
Eligible students must live in an area zoned to a public school in Georgia’s bottom 25% for academic achievement. The Governor's Office of Student Achievement will announce those schools Dec. 1.
Webb said she believes education is important and should be equal for all children.
"I wish the vouchers had been available many, many years ago,” she said. “I have three grown daughters at this time, but I do have my great niece and niece here and I know that their parents and other parents just going to really appreciate the opportunity."
The student also needs to have been enrolled in a Georgia public school for two consecutive semesters or be rising a kindergartener to be eligible.
State lawmakers are still deciding how much money they actually want to spend on the program. They will have up to $140 million in the budget for the program. That amount would cover about 21,000 scholarships.